Nvidia stock (NASDAQ: NVDA) tumbled in the pre-market trading on Thursday after Oracle's disappointing earnings and elevated capex outlook triggered a broader selloff in AI stocks. Oracle's earnings m... ...

Market Overview - The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite rose approximately 2.4%, leading major indexes higher after a week of volatility, with significant gains in AI stocks and chipmakers like Broadcom (AVGO) and Micron (MU), both up over 7% [1][6] - Retail investors contributed to the market rebound by aggressively buying the dip, as indicated by a sharp increase in S&P 500 ETF inflows during the previous week's decline [1][6] Investor Sentiment - There are signs of improving investor sentiment, particularly among retail investors, as they often reflect market sentiment and their behavior can drive stock market returns [2] - The AAII Sentiment Survey indicated a slightly more optimistic outlook among individual investors compared to the previous week, when nearly half were bearish [9] Economic Concerns - Concerns about an AI bubble and uncertainty regarding monetary policy have weighed on market sentiment, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq dropping nearly 2% and 2.7% respectively last week [3] - Investors are particularly focused on whether the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month, with mixed signals from the labor market and inflation data influencing expectations [4][7] Volatility and Market Indicators - The Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) stood at about 21, indicating a level above which stocks typically experience smoother trading conditions [8] - CNN's Fear & Greed index showed less pessimism after recording its most negative reading since early April, suggesting a potential shift in market sentiment [8]

Market Overview - The Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: VOO) experienced a decline of nearly 1% on Monday and continued to slide down another 0.4% in premarket trading on Tuesday, attributed to investor concerns over an overheated market and overpriced AI stocks [2] - Notable declines were observed in AI stocks such as Palantir (Nasdaq: PLTR) and Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA), despite Palantir reporting strong earnings earlier this month [2] Company Insights - Alphabet (Nasdaq: GOOG) CEO Sundar Pichai noted the "extraordinary" momentum behind AI stocks this year but expressed concerns about "irrationality" in their valuations, suggesting that no company, including Alphabet, would be immune to potential market corrections [3][8] - Despite the market concerns, Alphabet's stock rose over 1% in premarket trading, contrasting with declines in Palantir and Nvidia [3] Earnings Reports - Home Depot (NYSE: HD) reported Q3 earnings of $3.74 per share on sales of $41.4 billion, slightly missing expectations for earnings but beating sales forecasts. The company projected a sales growth of about 3% for the full year, with net profit expected to decline by 6% to approximately $14.01 per share [4][8] - Home Depot's stock fell more than 4% in premarket trading following the earnings report [5] - Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) exceeded earnings expectations with fiscal Q2 2026 earnings of $1.36 per share and sales of $9 billion, leading to a nearly 4% increase in its stock price [5]

Core Insights - ESG stocks have significantly underperformed compared to the S&P 500, with the Kiplinger ESG 20 returning an average of 4.3% over the past year, which is less than one-third of the S&P 500's 15.9% return [1] - Only six out of the 15 stocks in the Kiplinger ESG 20 outperformed the S&P 500, and only one of the favored ESG funds did so [1] Group 1: ESG Performance Challenges - ESG investing faced hurdles last year due to social media pressure, leading companies to retreat from their ESG objectives [2] - Morningstar reported that 2023 was the worst calendar year for ESG stocks, with lagging performance cited as the primary reason for this underperformance [3][4] - High interest rates and supply chain disruptions were noted as contributing factors to the underperformance of ESG stocks, although these challenges affected all sectors [4] Group 2: AI Stocks and ESG - Despite the energy-intensive nature of AI, several AI stocks, including Microsoft and Nvidia, were included in the Kiplinger ESG 20 list, raising questions about the criteria for ESG classification [6][7] - Microsoft's commitment to being carbon negative and water positive by 2030 justified its inclusion, while Nvidia's board and compensation practices were highlighted as reasons for its selection [8]

Group 1 - CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:CRWV) experienced a significant decline of 7.17% on Monday, closing at $127.06, following a recommendation from Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) to reject its proposed merger with Core Scientific Inc. [1][4] - The Board of Directors of Core Scientific stated that the merger represents the best available alternative for shareholders, despite the ISS's opposing stance [2][4]. - Two Seas Capital, a shareholder in both Core Scientific and CoreWeave, expressed concerns that the merger exposes Core Scientific shareholders to the volatility of CoreWeave's share price without adequate protections [3][4]. Group 2 - The opposition from ISS has created uncertainties regarding the future of the merger, which may influence institutional investors who depend on proxy advisory services for voting decisions [4]. - While there is potential for CoreWeave as an investment, there is a belief that other AI stocks may offer better returns with lower risk [5].

Group 1 - Opendoor Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:OPEN) experienced a significant decline in share price, dropping 12.43% to $8.38, marking the third consecutive day of losses as investors shifted funds to higher-yielding assets like AI stocks and precious metals [1][3] - The technology sector, particularly stocks benefiting from the AI boom, gained attention following Nvidia Corp.'s announcement of a $100 billion investment in OpenAI, positively impacting related industries such as semiconductors and data infrastructures [2] - Despite the recent downturn, Opendoor Technologies had marked an impressive 88.3% gain month-to-date, indicating strong investor interest prior to the shift towards AI stocks [4] Group 2 - The decline in Opendoor's stock price suggests that investors have already factored in recent developments, including the return of its founders and the appointment of a new CEO aimed at supporting the company's turnaround [3] - There is a belief that while Opendoor has potential as an investment, certain AI stocks are perceived to offer greater promise for higher returns with limited downside risk [4]